reruns and debuts

Blake's brother, Eric, and sister, Brittany, are in the city for a week-long visit to see us and to get better acquainted with the Big Apple. They arrived Wednesday night and already we could pack them up and send them back home, we've done so much! Here's a run-down of our adventures yesterday:

• Coney Island to eat hot dogs at the original Nathan's Famous
• Times Square, with stops in Toys R Us, M&M World, and the Hershey's store
• Rockefeller Center, with a stop in the NBC store
• Midtown 5th Avenue, with stops in the Disney Store, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and F.A.O. Schwarz
• A walk through Central Park
• A photo-op at the Manhattan Temple

With the exception of St. Patrick's, it was all re-runs for Garrett and I (Blake had to work). The cathedral was awesome, though. So beautiful and so striking -- especially when backdropped against ritzy Manhattan. (Sorry, no photos. I snapped a few, but none of them turned out.)

Garrett had a heyday in both the Disney Store and F.A.O. Schwarz. He fell happily in love with every plush creature we let him bury his face into, and if they vibrated, well, all the better! More than one unsuspecting on-looker reported to me that he was adorable (to which I, of course, readily agreed). At the toy store, we let him crawl around on the Big Piano again. Here a handful of toddler girls fell head over heels for him. Garrett, while pleased with the company, really couldn't have cared less for their displays of undying affection, as evidenced here:

Blake was able to take today off work so we decided to make the most of it by adventuring into uncharted territory. First stop was to see Ulysses and Julia:


And now I can even more confidently tell you who is buried in Grant's Tomb. Well, maybe not buried, if you want to be technical. Entombed is more like it. But any rate, this morning we visited the mausoleum that is the final resting place for President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia.

Next, we walked a few blocks south to tour the Columbia University campus. BYU was great and all, but have you guys seen this place? It's fantastic!

the library

if you look closely at the building behind him, you can see he's posing with all of his favorite Greek thinkers.

And then it was onto the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is absolutely massive. Construction began in 1892, and it is still not quite finished. Also, a portion of it was destroyed in a 2001 fire, and they are currently trying to renovate that. Still, though, it's a mighty impressive sight:

the view from Amsterdam St. Only a fraction of it fit in my camera view.

side view

All this sightseeing made us hungry, so we stopped at a corner pizzeria for a slice and soda (which we ate folded in half because, well, "when in Rome..."). Blake, Eric, and Brittany continued onto the Met, while Garrett and I opted for the route home. I'd say, though, that it was a good day... even Garrett gave it a thumbs up.